Ahamed wants exit polls banned

Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed said exit poll results were often biased towards a particular front.

Observing that exit poll results were often biased towards a particular political front, Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed on Wednesday said it was time to ban such predictions.

Referring to the recent exit poll result in favour of CPI(M) led Left Democratic Front (LDF) after the first phase of polling in Kerala, he told a meet the press programme here "whether good or bad, the government should consider banning such an exercise."

The exit poll results could not influence the electorate as they were aware that it was pre-planned in favour of a particular political formation with the support of a section of media, he said.

Appealing for a fresh mandate for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Kerala, he said the state needs a government with development-oriented agenda.

This could be provided only by the UDF as the rival front-led by the CPI (M) always adopted a negative attitude.

He said many states in the country were far ahead of Kerala as far as economic development was concerned and a second term was imperative to bring the state at par with others.

On the allegation by the Left that UPA government was deviating from Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of goveranance, he said efforts were being made to implement the promises.